Always There
by Caelistis.Rydraline
Summary: Harry is plagued by feelings of uneasiness as he returns to Hogwarts. Soon, he begins to see a slender, faceless man, and fears he is losing his mind. I blame the wait between Marble Hornets entries for this.


Harry settled himself on the windowsill, holding a single candle up on his knee. The others in his dorm were asleep, but he had finally given up. After tossing and turning for what had felt like an hour at the very least, Harry had accepted that he wouldn't be sleeping for a while, if at all.

It was strange, but he had been feeling uncomfortable ever since they had left Grimmauld place. At first he'd figured he was just on edge because of the large number of aurors they –no, _he_ – had to travel with. But it had persisted even when they had boarded the Hogwarts express. Conversations during the train ride had distracted him for the most part, but the feelings had returned full force when they reached the station, when Harry had noticed their absence.

It wasn't really a sense of danger, just a feeling of…'wrong'. Like something wasn't supposed to be there. But no one else seemed to have noticed it, and when he mentioned it to 'Mione, she'd theorized that it was just returning to the school after everything that had happened the previous year. It had made sense, and he'd decided then that she was probably right.

Now, however, he wasn't so sure. The unidentifiable feeling had given way to more of a sense of someone watching him. It made sleep difficult, to say the least.

Harry exhaled slowly, watching the flame flicker alongside its reflection on the window. Something in the corner of one of the panes caught his eye, illuminated by the dancing candlelight.

He reached to brush his fingers over the mark etched into the glass. A hastily drawn ellipse crossed out with a simple 'X'.

When his gaze moved back to the window's reflection, Harry jumped, almost dropping the candle as he leapt from the windowsill, heart racing. But the tall, faceless thing that had appeared in the reflection behind him was not there.

oOo

Care of Magical Creatures was over (the last class of what felt like the eighth rather than the fourth day back) and students were chattering happily as they made their way back to the castle.

Walking behind the large group with Ron and Hermione, Harry could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising. It happened every time he had his back to the forest.

With a shudder, he glanced back at the trees, his stomach plummeting as he caught a glimpse of a pale face disappearing behind a cedar.

oOo

He'd been at Hogwarts for two weeks now, and still Harry's nerves hadn't calmed. He was jittery, though if that was due to his lack of sleep, or his uneasy feelings, he wasn't sure.

Whatever he'd seen reflected in the window his first night back hadn't made a repeat appearance. Though Harry was relieved by this in part, he also had more than a slight curiosity to see what exactly it had been. He'd searched through his books, and even ducked into the library to try to figure out what he'd seen. He'd come out of his quest empty-handed.

He'd debated over asking Ron or Hermione about it, see if they'd heard of anything like it, but was inclined against it. What was he supposed to say? 'Hey, guys, I was wondering if you'd ever heard of a really tall, thin guy all in black who's got no face or hair." Yeah. That was _great_.

For now, he was just hoping that his discomforting feelings would go away. They'd come about extremely quickly and without warning… perhaps they would leave the same way?

oOo

Harry ducked back into the now empty classroom to retrieve his textbook. He pushed it into his already full bag, and slung it over his shoulder again, rising to just catch a camera flash. He sighed.

"Hello, Colin," he said wearily. He hadn't even noticed the other boy in the room. Surely he hadn't walked in after him? Either way, Harry realized, he needed to pay more attention to his surroundings, even if he _was_ in Hogwarts.

"Hiya, Harry!" The boy was practically bouncing, his camera held at his chest. "Guess what? Some sixth years asked me to take some pictures for them! They're starting a school paper. They said I could be their photographer!" Colin was breathless in his excitement, and Harry managed a smile.

"Congrats. Bet you'll get some good ones." Before he could then excuse himself, Colin spoke again.

"Wanna see this one? I want to make sure you like it. It'd be horrible if they put a bad picture of you in, don't you think?"

Grinning, Colin held the photograph out to him. When Harry looked down at it, his blood ran cold. It certainly wasn't the best picture: he was hardly looking at the camera, his bag halfway on his shoulder, the shadows beneath his eyes thrown into a sharp focus. But it was the background that he noticed first. In the doorway behind him, Harry could see a figure leaning down to peer into the room. It was hardly noticeable; the black body merely a shadow at the doorframe, the pale face just a shape in the bright of the hall.

Harry didn't hear Colin's concerned voice: his heart was pounding far too loudly in his ears. He forced himself to turn around, to look at the doorway where that _thing_ surely remained, waiting.

It was empty.

"Harry? Are you okay? Do you not like the picture? I can take another one if you don't. I don't mind."

oOo

"Hey 'Mione…" Ron began, looking over at the bookworm where she was bent over her essay.

"No, Ron." She didn't even look up.

"But-"

"Borrow Harry's. He was actually taking them today."

It was the first time Harry had taken notes in History of Magic since his first class. He'd needed the distraction, and paying enough attention to Binns to take decent notes required enough concentration to keep his mind free of anything else.

At the moment he lacked any such distraction. As such, he was curled up in a chair he had dragged into the corner, his wand easily accessible as he tried to focus on the book in his hands. His eyes kept flicking to the doors and corners, though, expecting to catch the tall, faceless creature following him. Both 'Mione and Ron seemed to think that Mad-Eye was rubbing off on him.

"Er, Harry?" he dragged his gaze from the stairway to the dorms to see Ron kneeling beside his bag, parchment strewn around beside him as he examined yet more in his hands. He turned them around for Harry to see.

Tall, thin figures were hastily sketched out, their oval faces each covered by a large 'x'. Tree-like shapes swarmed the corner of one parchment, and both had bold lettering taking up much of the remaining room; eerie phrases such as 'sees me' and 'always there', as well as contradicting messages of 'run away', and 'don't run'. Harry held back a shudder, shooting a questioning look at his friend.

"What are they? Bloody creepy."

"No idea. They were in your bag…" Mione finally pulled herself from her essay, peering around to see them.

"Well, that's _your_ writing, Harry," she pointed out. Harry frowned.

"I didn't do that. If you're looking for my history notes, Ron, they're in the text," he said curtly, dropping his gaze to his book. His writing or not, he hadn't done those.

"Er… that's where _these_ were…"

Harry looked up sharply from his book. "So where are my notes?"

"I dunno! I didn't touch them. Didn't even know you were taking them in class. Maybe these were on the des, and you grabbed them instead of your stuff…"

"I kept my notes in the text the whole time. It's where I was writing them. I think I'd remember seeing _those_ on the desk, anyway."

He was certain he hadn't grabbed anything by mistake. He could remember closing the book on his notes, not caring if the wet ink smeared at the bottom. The fact that he couldn't remember what he had been writing was beside the point. Irritated, he continued. "Someone must have switched them. Probably the bloody twins."

oOo

Harry woke to bright sunlight that should have been blocked by his curtains. He groaned, his head aching as he sat up. When he saw he was still wearing his robes, he frowned. What…?

He racked his brains, feeling more than a little worried that he couldn't remember the previous night. Perhaps Ron would know…

Glancing around the dorm, he noticed for the first time that it was completely empty. What time was it? Harry swore, reaching into his pocket for his wand. When he found it empty, he rolled over, pulling open the drawer to his bedside table. The gentle clinking of glass on glass alerted him that something was off before he'd even looked into the drawer.

His wand _was_ in there, along with about a dozen glass vials. From the looks of them, they contained memories. Were they his? He didn't remember ever taking memories…

Harry could see people outside, and grabbed his wand before shoving the drawer shut, casting a quick tempus. It was nearly one… He walked over to the window, opening it to get a better look outside.

It couldn't be Saturday… He'd had CoMC the last class he could remember, and the last day of the week he had it on was Wednesday…His gaze was drawn to the Quidditch pitch, where he could make out figures in black and yellow shooting through the air. If the Hufflepuffs were practicing, that would make it Sunday.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, trying desperately to remember _something_ from after Care on Wednesday.

Hagrid had shown them unicorns; he could remember that… They'd been kept at the edge of the forest; he could remember that, too… But the next thing he could remember… was waking up, just minutes ago.

Harry looked back at the bedside table, thinking of the memories stored inside. He needed a pensive.

oOo

Harry was walking down to the kitchens with Hermione and Ron when he was suddenly struck with a coughing fit. His throat felt incredibly dry, the air catching and tickling, each short breath preventing him from taking another properly.

He doubled over as it worsened, barely hearing his friends beside him. His knees hit the ground, one hand scratching at his throat, the other pressed against the cold floor as he buckled under the force of his coughs.

Hands pulled him up, and he pulled himself from their grip as his body shook. They came again, more firmly now, and he felt himself being moved. He tried to help, knowing it was Ron and Hermione, but he couldn't focus on moving his legs. All he could do was cough, trying to get even just a single breath.

Harry was still coughing when they reached the hospital wing, and although he was managing to move along with his friends (rather than having them practically drag him), the coughing hadn't let up, and he was beginning to feel light-headed.

He barely noticed that Pomfrey conjured a glass until she pushed it into his hand, instructing him to drink (how?) before turning to interrogate Ron and 'Mione.

Harry gulped the drink between coughs, only barely managing to get the first sip down and _not_ into his lungs. His throat was greatly relieved even just by that, and the rest of it went down more easily. He could taste something in it, a sort of orange-y hint to what seemed like plain water.

As his breathing calmed down, he was steered towards a bed by Madam Pomfrey, who ignored his protests, instructing he open his mouth almost immediately after he sat.

"You have no allergies, correct, Potter?" she asked, stepping back and replacing her wand in a pocket. Harry shook his head, and she 'hmmed', frowning, before bustling over to a nearby cupboard. She returned with a small glass and some potions.

"Well, you don't appear to be getting sick, thank Merlin. I'll have enough of _that_ soon enough. As for the coughing, I'd say it's likely due to dehydration. When your throat is that dry, anything can set you off." She handed him the glass, now filled with a pale green liquid. Harry sighed in resignation as he lifted it to his lips.

"However," Pomfrey continued, taking the empty glass, "you are _clearly_ not eating enough. Not to mention that I can tell by looking at you that you're becoming sleep deprived. Now, you're in here often enough, Mr. Potter, that you don't need to add to it, mm? I want you eating properly, and I want you two," she fixed her eyes on Ron and Hermione "to make sure he does. I'm giving you a vial of dreamless sleep potion, as well, Potter. There's enough for two nights. Use it, wait one week, _one_ only, and if you're still not sleeping, I want you back here. Understand?"

Harry took the vial, pocketing it as he stood. "Yes, Madam Pomfrey."

She eyed him for a moment, then nodded and walked back to her office, muttering to herself about 'foolish teenagers, thinking they're invulnerable'.

Harry walked out of the hospital wing without waiting for the others, refusing to let his thoughts or his eyes roam to the tall shadows in the room.

oOo

It didn't matter who he was with, now. Alone or in a crowd of people, Harry could always feel it. That prickling feeling of someone watching him, following him through the halls. And when he didn't turn around, there was that hair-raising sensation of something hovering millimetres away from his shoulder, just about touching-

Harry spun around, wand drawn, a spell already at his lips.

The corridor was empty.

"Harry? Are…you okay, mate?" Ron was looking at him warily, and Harry turned around again, stowing his wand away.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," he said shortly, continuing down the hall. He didn't miss the look that his friends shared.

As they caught up to him, matching his brisk pace on either side, Harry could feel the presence looming behind him again.

oOo

The trio sat in Hagrid's hut, chatting and drinking tea, and casually avoiding the hazardous rock cakes.

Ron and Hermione seemed completely at ease, something Harry was extremely envious of. He could never relax anymore, and he could feel it wearing down on him. He had expected a time like this to come in his life, but never at Hogwarts. He had never expected it to be caused by anything other than Voldemort, either…

He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was about the faceless thing that invoked such terror in him. It had never behaved even remotely hostile towards him. It just… watched, like it was now.

Harry couldn't drag his eyes away from the window, just kept his gaze locked on the figure standing mere feet away on the other side of the wall. He kept his left hand at his tea, dropping his right beneath the table to grip his wand.

"Harry?" His attention moved reluctantly from the window as he looked over at Hermione. She regarded him worriedly. "Harry, are you all right?"

"Fine. Sorry." Hermione didn't look convinced, and followed his gaze when he checked the window again.

"What are you looking at?" Harry shook his head, turning away from the empty window to face the others.

"Nothing."

oOo

Harry fumbled in his bag as the coughing started again. Eventually, he managed to pull out the small bottle filled with water. He drank it as quickly as he was able, leaving only half. He had had Hermione help him spell it to be unbreakable earlier in the week, after finding himself on the floor, gasping for air yet again. The witch had helped him to some water, and he'd managed to talk her out of returning to the hospital wing. Whatever was causing his cough, it seemed to be settled once he'd had a drink.

As he recovered, Harry realized just how empty the corridor was. In a way, he was glad that most of the student population was gone over the holidays, but he was starting to wish for the bustle of the other students again. It provided some security to him mentally - however small and ineffective - against the forbidding feeling that was still growing in him.

It had been getting worse as the days went by, barely enough to notice. The constant 'fight-or-flight' state he was in was settling a deep exhaustion in him, but keeping him alert, if jittery.

And the faceless man was everywhere now. Harry could see him as he dropped his bottle into his bag, down at the end of the corridor.

He just stood there.

Waiting.

oOo

**Boy-Who-Lived: Missing?**

Julien Everard

Earlier this week, Hogwarts professor Minerva McGonagall approached the ministry with some chilling news: Harry Potter has gone missing.

According to auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Wizarding celebrity and saviour disappeared from Hogwarts school three days ago, and has not been seen or heard from since.

Many parents are questioning the safety of the school after this event, and owls have been flocking in equal parts to the Ministry and to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Potter's disappearance certainly raises questions about the school's security. The headmaster could not be reached for a comment on the situation.

Given the recent return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, many suspect that the teen's disappearance is linked to his followers, the Death Eaters.

It is a well known fact that Hogwarts school is warded against Death Eaters, and likely their dark master as well, but is it possible that Potter left this protection of his own accord? Friends and classmates of Potter have admitted that he had been behaving strangely as of late.

**CONT. A3 - MISSING**

**oOoOoOo**

Hooray for randomly appearing Marble Hornets/Harry Potter fics! XD I think I'm just not allowed to have notebooks anymore...

If you haven't watched Marble Hornets, go do it now! XD There is a lovely wiki sort of site that has all of the entries in order, including the totheark responses. ^.^ Go on. Shoo. Go watch them.

Now. Back to waiting for a new Entry. ^.^


End file.
